Warm Hearts

This is a follow-up to the Warm Homes for Elder New Zealanders study. We are continuing to monitor a sub-group of the initial study participants who live in the Wellington area. This study will cover 2012-2015.

In this study we are particularly concerned with cardiac outcomes. We will monitor these through:

Asking our participants about symptoms

Our participants will have blood tests every 6 months, that are analysed for markers of cardiac ill-health

Holter (heart) monitors used on some intensive days.

The study will measure temperatures in the home over both winter and summer, and in late winter and late summer we will have intensive monitoring days. On these days we will measure the house temperature in more detail, and get more information from our participants including: actigraphy, Holter (heart) monitors, and diaries letting us know where the participants are. One exciting feature of the study is the use of PACMAN monitors on the intensive days. These are a way of measuring many aspects of indoor air quality in one relatively small device.

The study is supported by the Health Research Council. The PACMAN units are supplied by NIWA.